Peer Reviewed

1

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

22-11-2016

Keywords

Psychosis, Psychotic, Physical Health, Multimorbidity

Funder/Sponsor

BS and FG receive funding from the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research & Care Funding scheme. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research, or the Department of Health. AK’s work was supported by the Miguel Servet contract financed by the CP13/00150 and PI15/00862 projects, integrated into the National R + D + I and funded by the ISCIII – General Branch Evaluation and Promotion of Health Research – and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF-FEDER). DV is funded by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO – Vlaanderen).

Comments

Abstract

Background:

In people with psychosis, physical comorbidities, including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, are highly prevalent and leading contributors to the premature mortality encountered. However, little is known about physical health multimorbidity in this population or in people with subclinical psychosis and in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study explores physical health multimorbidity patterns among people with psychosis or subclinical psychosis.

Methods:

Overall, data from 242,952 individuals from 48 LMICs, recruited via the World Health Survey, were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants were subdivided into those (1) with a lifetime diagnosis of psychosis (“psychosis”); (2) with more than one psychotic symptom in the past 12 months, but no lifetime diagnosis of psychosis (“subclinical psychosis”); and (3) without psychotic symptoms in the past 12 months or a lifetime diagnosis of psychosis (“controls”). Nine operationalized somatic disorders were examined: arthritis, angina pectoris, asthma, diabetes, chronic back pain, visual impairment, hearing problems, edentulism, and tuberculosis. The association between psychosis and multimorbidity was assessed by multivariable logistic regression analysis.

This large multinational study demonstrates that physical health multimorbidity is increased across the psychosis-spectrum. Most notably, the association between multimorbidity and psychosis was stronger among younger adults, thus adding further impetus to the calls for the early intervention efforts to prevent the burden of physical health comorbidity at later stages. Urgent public health interventions are necessary not only for those with a psychosis diagnosis, but also for subclinical psychosis to address this considerable public health problem.